Resurrection
by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10
Summary: "… There is really only one way to end this battle, Hinata. You must choose between Revenge or Resurrection." Both, in which no one can win. SasuHina.
1. Chapter 1

**Resurrection**

**Summary: **"… There is really only one way to end this battle, Hinata. You must choose between Revenge or Resurrection." Both, in which no one can win. SasuHina.

**A/N: **Hello everyoneeee! I was dissatisfied with the way this story was going before so I have changed everything about it and now it has a completely new plotline! I hope that readers of the old Resurrection will be able to forgive me for this transition! Expect regular updates for this story—oh, yes—I am so awesome, _jks_…. Enjoy! ^^ :D

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

_"Hearts rebuilt from hope resurrect dreams killed by hate."_  
>―<strong>Aberjhani, <strong>_**The River of Winged Dreams**_

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><p>They couldn't win.<p>

As the terrifying thought occurred to her, the thunderstorm of gleaming, razor-sharp kunais pursued Hinata and her teammates—fast like striking snakes and brutal like the telsons of scorpions, the arsenal assault of sharp kunais slashed and plunged into tree bark, transforming trees into cactuses, and narrowly missing their heads.

_Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_

The vain destruction of the forest left trees collapsing in resigned heaps, numerous holes plunged mercilessly through them.

It seemed, if not by a kunai wound, their enemies wanted them to die in the crumbling forest, let that crush them.

As each tree lurched and capsized to its demise, a high-pitched shriek of grief, pain and anger pierced the air, like the yowl of an animal about to become a dead carcass riddled with gaping holes like unseeing black eyes.

—The sinister music of a dying forest.

Slowly, Hinata came out of her terrified reverie. They were going to need _cover_. They needed to _retreat_. Hinata _had_ to guide her team to safety with her last ounce of chakra.

_They're long-range enemies, out of eyeshot_. _Use a wise approach. _ Hinata swiftly executed a three-hundred and sixty degree onslaught of kunais, sure at least _one_ of them would impediment its victim.

Then, although her Byakugan was a risky choice—it was long since spent from several hours of use—Hinata activated it without hesitation and ushered her teammates out of targeting range, ignoring the searing pain behind her eyes from the strain.

"It'll only buy us time!" Hinata emphasised earnestly, running towards what looked to be their best bet for temporary cover. A tree lurched forward and Hinata deftly dived out of its way.

Kiba and Shino followed obediently, one of them occasionally turning in alarm to deflect a kunai flying helter-skelter in their direction. Akamaru ripped them out of the air with his keen sabre teeth and tossed them back in the general direction of the unseen thrower.

Now flanking them was a network of dense, tightly woven shrubbery, towering unusually high, providing them protection and enclosure.

Kiba, who was panting beside Hinata on the ground, collected his breath to speak. "Hinata, you're a life-saver! We're no longer in the path of killer kunais! You got us out of there easy!"

Shino shifted beside him uncomfortably. He stood up and pointed a finger across at the innocent-looking trees huddled in front of them.

"Now is not the time to start congratulating one another. It's not over yet." Shino murmured eerily. His glasses cloaked his darkly narrowed eyes from sight. "I think that's a genjutsu."

As if to boast Shino's point, the huddled trees, a mere genjutsu illusion, reshaped into three enemy ninjas. They promptly lifted out an assortment of Summoning scrolls, steely katana blades and shuriken, growling venomously at the three of them.

"They're everywhere!" Kiba yelled hoarsely. "What is this place?"

Reluctantly, he gave Akamaru—who'd been unexpectedly subdued and droopy-eared—another soldier pill.

_Be careful, Kiba_. Hinata thought.

Kiba approached their opponents, his expression murderous. "You make me poison my dog in order to fight you!"

They just chortled hideously. "Bring it, little boys and girls!" They jeered as one.

Akamaru barred his sabre tooth fangs defiantly. Although weakened, the persistent ninja dog kicked off forcefully from the forest floor, slickly propelling himself at their enemies.

Astonished by Akamaru's speed, one of them didn't move out of the way in time and received a fatal blow to the stomach.

Before Akamaru could turn on the other two and take them out, one of them dexterously tossed an explosive tag in his path.

"_NO!_"

The sound of Kiba's wrenching scream was instantly cut off as a massive explosion discharged, completely swallowing up the sound.

Alight tree bark shot up into the air and tufts of fragmented grass whirled in a searing and thundering cloud of dust and heat.

When the explosion was over, Hinata unshielded her eyes. Lying on the ground was Akamaru's limp body but not in the way she had expected: hundreds of bugs hovered and shifted closely around Akamaru, keeping him preserved inside a safe cocoon.

Kiba immediately rushed forward to hug his dog companion, muttering into Akamaru's dishevelled fur between sobs, "I won't ever make you sacrifice yourself for us again! When we get back home, I promise to give you all the ramen you could ever imagine! Shino, man, I'm eternally in your debt!"

Hinata also noticed that hundreds of other bugs covered their two enemies. Expect, instead of protecting them, the bugs worked rigorously to suck all the chakra out of them.

Two seconds later, their enemies collapsed face-down in charred, smoking grass, still as ice cubes.

"Let's go! There's no time to waste." Shino urged, arms already back to his sides and ducking back into the undergrowth to lead them back on the trail.

Following him, but coughing violently, Hinata cursed the suffocating pollution brought by the explosion.

"Don't worry, we should be moving into open air soon," Kiba whispered in her ear.

Lips upturning, Hinata murmured softly, "Thank you."

Within minutes of flying past trees and dashing on their sturdy branches, their surroundings changed dramatically.

Here, the blinding sunlight no longer hit them squarely in the eyes: trees rose so high that they shaded out most infrared light and glared down upon them murderously, like they were vexatious ants trespassing on their forest floor. Flickering shadows were cast whenever the trees shuddered or trembled in the wind.

_I don't like this place_, Hinata thought cautiously.

Out of nowhere, a shinobi barrelled face-first into the grassy forest floor, mere meters away from them.

The trio instantly dropped to the ground, hunched in a low crouch, ready to act at any sign of threat.

Hinata's head jerked to the left and there she saw a figure emerge from behind a towering Sugi tree.

It was a dangerous, tall and feline woman. Her straight hair was similar to Hinata's, but darker, in fact an inky black, and much, much longer. Her angular, aristocratic face struck Hinata. It was cold and unfeeling even as the woman picked up her opponent by the collar effortlessly.

Hinata had seen her in the Bingo book. Her team had no chance against her and certainly not in their feeble conditions. She was currently Iwa's most highly Wanted missing ninja. Whether because she was too dangerous, or just for her skill assets, it was unknown. This woman was simply Wanted desperately. Her name was—

"—Alia Hisoro, the strongest kunoichi in Iwa." Wheezed the shinobi in her clutches.

Alia merely narrowed calculating, pitch-black eyes.

"What are you going to do with me, hm?" The shinobi taunted, in a last attempt to disarm Alia.

Unfazed by the ploy, Alia tightened her white-knuckled grip on the shinobi, causing him to gasp for air.

"Listen here." She said. Her voice was like a blade: steely, cutting and candid. "You are like all the other shinobi trespassing on my village's territory. My word of advice to you is to never do it again. Or you may not be so lucky the next time we meet."

With that said, Alia carelessly dropped the shinobi back to the ground. Shockingly, the shinobi got up and flung a kunai hatefully at Alia's demeanour. "Look here you! You are an outcast to your village! You left it and became a missing ninja! You're just a phony kunoichi pretending that standing guard and taking care of people like me who trespass on your village's soil will somewhat ease the guilt on your soul after betraying your village!"

"You three Hidden Leaf Village shinobi should come out now. I don't take too lightly to those who hide from me." Alia announced, completely ignoring the shinobi that had just insulted her and contorted her pride.

Alia's piercing eyes were pinned on their exact location.

Hinata, Kiba and Shino froze. Not because she knew they were there but because Alia's right hand, silently hefting over her head the kunai previously thrown at her, slowly shattered the metal weapon like it was nothing.

Turning hardened eyes back towards the ninja that had attempted on her life, she vanished.

_Swish! Slash! Swish!_

Hinata and her teammates exchanged a wary look: they were caught up in a dangerous game but could not move a muscle or scamper away. They were too afraid of the consequences.

Alia reappeared.

She now held a tall weapon in her hand which Hinata distantly recalled reading about in the Bingo book. It was a legendary weapon passed down from the descendants of the Hisoro Clan from generation to generation.

Eyes squinted against the intense, wicked glint of Alia's _Twin Blades of Devastation_, Hinata watched one devastation rupture through the abdomen of Alia's opponent, the other following up instantaneously—unceremoniously slashing her opponent's face.

A crimson gush of blood splattered the ground and a chilling cry stabbed through the stilled air.

Sinking deeper into the undergrowth, Hinata's shoulder bumped Kiba's. She felt a warm hand press down onto the small of her back. It remained there, reminding Hinata that no matter what, her teammates would remain beside her throughout.

Alia roughly threw her opponent at a nearby tree, face not flinching once the whole time. Just when they thought Alia had won, things started to go wrong: her opponent clearly had not been incapacitated.

The shinobi tenaciously picked themselves up, keeping their eye on Alia's retreating back as she calmly approached Hinata and her teammates, and with a final cry of pain, hurtled at her the biggest explosive tag any of them had ever seen.

Hinata had genuinely wanted to cry out at Alia to move away but by the time the words gathered in her mouth, it was already over.

Too late, Alia flinched, turned around and met face-to-face an explosion which immediately cleared her off the ground, swallowing her up in a vibrant and violent vortex of discharging eruptions.

Hinata jerked her head to the right and witnessed the haughty shinobi who had brought Mighty Alia to her demise, lying on the ground, laughing cynically, a hand beating the dirt ecstatically.

It was a horrendous sight because their guffawing changed into a bloody coughing fit as they gasped their final dying breath.

They didn't even live to tell the tale.

As Hinata and her teammates turned away ashamedly, they failed to notice a serpent-like shape exit the dead shinobi's gaping mouth, still hanging in a silent scream for breath, and sliver all the way across to Alia's motionless form, stopping to admire her features for a few meticulous moments before jumping right into her mind itself.

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><p>They soon broke into open air.<p>

The landscape now consisted of scarcely any trees or green grass, just boulders and rough, dirty gravel, stretching endlessly. Everything was a creamy yellow. On the horizon, Hinata could see the beginnings of the desert.

Shino had found the trail again: the trail of Naruto's blood. Cold, dried stains of it at least.

Naruto was dead. Dead to this world. They were just collecting his body and bringing it back to the Leaf Village.

All three of them already knew this yet they raced to get to him as soon as possible.

Hope. Because they hoped he remained undead, however ridiculous it sounded.

And even though Hinata trusted Shino, she had discretely activated Byakugan to see the trail for herself, now that her depleted chakra seemed to be replenishing itself.

Hinata remembered not a day ago, reading a book blissfully in her bedroom before Kiba had burst through her door and dragged her out hurriedly, explaining that they had a crucial mission right away—Hinata would never forget the seriousness in Kiba's usually exuberant voice: "Our team has been chosen for this mission because we are eligible trackers. We've got to find and return Naruto's body to the Leaf Village! We're the best tracking team for this job!"

Naruto had died while venturing into this heinous place. Hinata knew that Naruto had been weakened beforehand from an experiment him and Jiraiya had performed. However, she had never realised that the effects of the experiment would cripple Naruto so far as to be defenceless against all odds in this place. Something suspicious had gone on—there was no doubt about it.

Collecting his body was possibly the toughest mission her team had faced yet. Enemies kept popping up everywhere and whenever they did, her team only narrowly managed to escape. Eventually one of them would perish if they didn't get out soon.

Shino suddenly coughed to Hinata's left.

Her head wheeled towards him in question. He was frowning into the unadorned, pasty distance.

"What? Is something wrong?" Hinata inquired in concern.

"Yes. There _is_ something wrong." Shino clarified, as he knelt down and pressed his palm flat against the dry ground. "I think the trail ends ahead. All my bugs are already coming back."

"How far ahead?" Hinata asked, her eyes raring to activate her bloodline limit and catch if not a glimpse of Naruto's body. However, her mind harshly reprimanded that idea: her chakra was only beginning to trickle back and she had already chanced using Byakugan once; the strain would be intolerable if Shino revealed that Naruto's location happened to be far away.

"I'm not sure." Shino blurted out, uncertain of himself. "My bugs are giving off mixed signals, in fact."

Hinata looked down, biting her lip.

At that moment, there was a dramatic shift in their surroundings. Kiba sniffed the air just as a mysterious shadow emerged from behind the jagged, creamy yellow boulder ahead of them.

As Hinata inspected the slowly growing shadow, she noticed that an abundance of spidery seals painted the ground surrounding the shadow and led all the way around the builder's circumference like an inky prison.

As the shadow's owner weakly slouched into view, Hinata realised that it belonged to a sickeningly familiar person.

"What? Naruto's alive?" Kiba's loud, brash announcement somehow lifted Hinata out of her shock.

"Naruto…" Hinata whispered uncertainly, tongue not used to pronouncing the long unused word. "How can you be..."

Shino also appeared confused about the situation but he didn't speak: he simply stepped forward and took Naruto's distinct hand in his, pulling it over his shoulder and supporting Naruto's weight. Already, the blonde's head was lolling, like he was in a drunken haze, but they knew better: whoever had attacked Naruto days ago had intended to kill him but Naruto never died easily. Thankfully.

Guilt tore at Hinata's pumping heart then, threatening to tear it out completely: they had all betrayed him, abandoned him—how could they forget Naruto's resilience to keep living and beat the odds?

"Guys... there's something I need to tell you." Naruto's weak, parched, broken voice rasped.

They all flinched at the drastic change in the blonde's usually exuberant voice.

"I think this is a trap. You should... return home right now. It's too late for me now." Naruto rasped, biting back a cry of pain. They could see it in the way his face contorted grotesquely: he was in unimaginable agony.

"I'll kill them, you hear me?!" Kiba screeched. "Who did this to you?"

Stunned, Hinata could only stare wide-eyed at the broken, dying boy she had always admired and cherished, bid them farewell.

Naruto looked straight up at her then, his swollen face riddled with deep lacerations and bruises. His sad, cerulean blue eyes brimming with tears, Naruto mouthed the words: _I'll always be back_ and then an inexorable blade plunged straight through his torso out of nowhere.

Before Hinata could scream, Naruto's body went slack and dropped out of Shino's stunned arms like a sack of potatoes. Without thinking, she dived forward and caught Naruto around the torso before he could hit the ground, her clothes soaking up his blood. Hinata protectively clutched his head against her chest.

Meanwhile, Shino and Kiba faced their unexpected enemy: Alia Hisoro, burns all over her face, hair and clothes, hefting the weapon dripping with Naruto's blood.

_He suffered immensely, now he has been put out of his pain_. Hinata repeated sadly, if not hysterically, in her mind, closing her eyes. A new thought rang loud and clear in her head, though. _Why had Naruto still been alive?_

Alia uncharacteristically threw back her head and let out a high-pitched laugh, and at the same time, a tormented scream. She froze and blinked a few times, seemingly in shock.

"My host body won't fully cooperate with my will yet, it _seems_."

Her voice wasn't sharp and cutting anymore: it was blood-curdling, pulsating with immeasurable and disgusting desire. Hinata also noticed that Alia's features had changed: the piercing matt-black pupil's of her eyes seemed to have transformed into lucid vertical slits like twin yellow-coated fangs.

"Orochimaru,"

They all turned to see that it was Hinata who had spoken the abominable Sanin's name. She had already gently lain down Naruto's body and was currently rising from the ground like a phoenix from its ashes, Naruto's crimson red blood staining her front as if she had been the one stabbed through the torso instead of him.

"You killed Alia. Then you took her body. Now you killed _Naruto_."

"Yes, indeed. Hinata, you're right. Now I killed _Naruto_." Orochimaru admitted mockingly, his smile stretching to show his teeth. "I've been trying to for the past three days. That one never died easily. I managed to find the right host body to do it, in the end."

Orochimaru laughed, except his eyes were tearing up and the high laugh contorted into another scream. Tears started to flood down his cheekbones like cascades of blood.

"_Ah_. Alia must be truly upset about this transformation. And for killing Naruto. Look at all her tears of sorrow..."

Hinata felt her eyes flicker to the ground stonily. One. Two. Three. Three tears in total, exploded against the ground. Then they stopped raining down, as if Alia's pride wouldn't allow anymore tears to suffice. She was truly a graceful shinobi, even on the brink of death, her strong will reigning against Orochimaru's and fighting for dominance over her mind and body.

"It won't be long until I have complete control..." Orochimaru dawdled absently, voice predominantly feminine and exulting blithe.

Hinata's right fist clenched. One second later, it connected with Orochimaru's jaw. A hue of blue chakra billowed from her fist violently.

"Monster!"

Shino and Kiba, who had been silent in shock and horror the whole time, unfroze and gripped each of Hinata's shoulders in order to placate her. Now restrained, Hinata did the only thing left.

"Fight him! Don't let him win, Alia!" Hinata cried desperately, her voice cracking. "There's still a chance! It's not over yet!"

Instantly, Orochimaru blinked a few times, his expression going hazy and confused.

"Why is... What is the meaning of this? I'm losing control..."

"It's working!" Hinata shouted, hope gleaming in her eyes. "Alia, you can—"

"Just joking." Orochimaru reprimanded, this time throwing his head back and letting out a full-blown guffaw, vocal cords blasting high. "Alia is gone. How naive, it almost amuses me. Now it's time to end this."

Orochimaru brandished Alia's Twin Blades of Devastation, and rubbing his bruised cheek absently, he murmured, "You hit _lightening_ fast. It's a shame I couldn't block it in time with this vessel."

Hinata distantly felt Kiba and Shino's hands dragging her back forcibly. They murmured, panic laced in their fast, clipped exchange of words. Kiba stepped in front of her protectively, spitting on the ground.

"Orochimaru, you're unbelievably evil! I won't let you kill anyone else on my watch." At that, Kiba stole a glance at Naruto's beaten, lifeless form, lying not far away.

Orochimaru advanced.

Just then, a prominent rustle in the trees make Hinata jerk her head to the right. She watched as two familiar figures emerged. The sunlight captured them perfectly.

Leaf Village Anbu.

Suddenly, the whole forest behind them rustled and a sea of dozens upon dozens of other Anbu flooded towards them.

Then three particularly unexpected figures emerged from amongst the dispersed Anbu members.

"Snakes just never die, do they? They always keep coming back and... _consuming_ people, it seems. Will you ever stop, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, sighing.

Beside him stood Hatake Kakashi, his lone Sharingan pinned intently on Naruto's corpse. He didn't even bother to greet Orochimaru or show signs that he acknowledged he existed as he moved to collect Naruto's body.

Hinata noticed that the last figure was Danzo.

A bunch of Anbu holding foreboding syringes came towards Hinata and her teammates then. Danzo was regarding her coolly as he spoke to the Anbu beside him. Hinata involuntarily read his thin, scheming lips: _Their memories of this day's events are to be wiped out completely. The Hokage must never find out about this under all circumstances._

Hinata watched as the Anbu drew nearer. Then, meticulously, the Anbu members ceased all movement—stopping dead in their tracks—like slack-faced zombies frozen in time.

Hinata glanced in Orochimaru's direction, wondering if this was any of his doing, but the Snake Sanin was preoccupied with Kakashi and Jiraiya, not even bating an eyelash in her direction.

It seemed only Hinata had noticed what had just happened.

Again spying the rigid positions of the motionless Anbu, their unfocused eyes boring into her, Hinata felt an inexplicable wave of dread unlike any other: it ravaged her gut in a smothering, relentless grip of fear.

Before she had the chance to tell Kiba and Shino about the unusual behaviours of the Anbu, or about Danzo's frightening scheming, Hinata felt a distinctive, sharp pinch in the back of her neck and her legs instantly turned into jelly. She sank to the ground, her panicked teammates lurching forward to catch her, then dropping like stones themselves. Kakashi and Jiraiya turned and watched the display as if it didn't surprise them, nodding towards Danzo, then fixing their attention back on Orochimaru.

Hinata's ridiculed mind of grief, terror and rage, tried to process the consequences of the contents of the syringe, emptied out into their blood streams, and what the intended effect was.

Briefly, the answer flared in her mind as clear and horrifying as day, and before Hinata could fully process the amount of torment that the memory loss serum would inflict upon her for the rest of her days, her mind was mercifully extinguished and the temporary bliss of nothingness overtook.

.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Resurrection**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Kakashi's first quote belongs to late Dr. Seuss.

**Acknowledgements:** umina** :)** AnimeWhoLockDiaries **:)** The. Bibliophile. Warehouse. **:)** Aoi Kitsune12 **:)** LizzieBCT **:)** Guest **:)** Encuentrame **:)** RikuDai **:)** My virtual words aren't enough to thank you—I wish I could hug you!—but arigatou gozaimasu!

**THANK YOU AND ENJOY!** Expect updates every Sunday! ^^ **:)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

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><p>"What mission?"<p>

For a brief moment, shock flittered across Sarutobi Hiruzen's features. Then his expression cleared as an incandescent revelation dawned on him. He just smiled tightly, masking his obvious fury.

"It appears you were drugged by Danzo." Sarutobi stated. "You went on a crucial mission yesterday but you clearly have no memory of the event whatsoever. I do not even need to hear your word to you know this. Your chakra patterns are disturbed and you are not in mourning."

Hinata and her teammates exchanged a dumbfounded look, shifting their weight on the office floor.

"Not mourning what?" Kiba asked. "I feel absolutely fine."

Kiba glanced at Hinata, musing. "Don't you? Well, apart from not being able to remember anything I said or did yesterday, come to think of it..."

There was something Sarutobi Hizuren wasn't telling them. Hinata and Shino didn't fail to notice this as they scrutinised him closely.

He breathed a heavy sigh. Silky white hair poured out of his red and white Hokage hat. His glossy brown eyes, usually filled with warmth and mirth, were downcast and sad.

His severely disinclined stature spoke unthinkable words.

Finally, he looked up, but didn't quite meet their eyes. "Forgive me. I was wrong to think that Danzo would drug any of you. Instead, it appears you've all suffered from concussions as you were up against a tough enemy. Your mission reports will undoubtedly attest to that. I don't expect any of you to remember anything from yesterday's mission. You will get your memories back eventually."

"Which tough enemy were we up against?" Kiba asked curiously, scratching his head.

"Orochimaru."

The name suddenly left Hinata hyperventilating. Incessantly, her heart smacked against her rib cage with full-force, like a trapped, deranged animal trying to escape a pen.

Hatred welled up inside her.

"As you will not remember, Naruto had been alive when you reached him on your mission. This was not meant to be the case. He was meant to be already dead, especially when his physique was drastically weakened by Jiraiya's experiment. Even a simple kunai wound was meant to have killed him."

Hinata almost reeled back, like Sarutobi's words were inflicting physical pain. Was this a side-effect from missing memories? In fact, Hinata felt a stray tear trail down her cheek. Her memories were not intact but her emotions were very real and true.

Hinata seemed to be the only one majorly affected by this news. Her teammates appeared fine. They only looked concerned because of her sudden outburst.

"Your mind can't remember but your heart knows." Sarutobi Hiruzen said softly.

"Is this why you said we should be in mourning?" Hinata asked.

The Third Hokage slowly nodded affirmative.

Shino furrowed his eyebrows.

"I remember absolutely nothing of yesterday's mission. I've never heard any _kind_ of concussion could make people lose their memories of an entire day."

Sensing Shino's increasing scepticism in his office, the Third Hokage sighed, glancing at the chipped mug resting at the edge of his desk—a sign of a bad omen.

"Ah. Now you two boys hurry along. Treat yourselves out and get some rest. I'll send medical staff to your houses later. To see what they can do about, _ah_... recovering your lost memories. I need to speak with Hinata alone."

"Wait, what happened to Orochimaru? Did we pummel him before our concussions kicked in?" Kiba asked excitedly, refusing to leave without knowing this.

Hinata found herself blushing at Kiba's brashness and even Shino was showing signs that he was listening in.

The Third Hokage sighed under his breath. "You will not like this..."

"Orochimaru got away?" Kiba guessed, uncertainly. His voice was quieter now, more melancholy.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded his head to confirm Hinata and her teammates' fears.

"I'm afraid so. It is unfortunate that Kakashi and Jiraiya didn't succeed in capturing him. I thought it awfully strange that they were unable to overwhelm him with their combined efforts. Anyway, Orochimaru never ceases to shock me—he is the best escapist."

Sarutobi breathed a heavy sigh. "Now if you will excuse me, I have much to get done."

This time, Shino and Kiba didn't protest as they left the Hokage's office, gloominess in their wake.

Hinata wondered if anyone she knew could relate to her and her teammates' current situation: had anyone else ever woken up one day—bloodstained clothing clinging to their front—and been told that they had missing memories? Hinata felt completely normal apart from being unable to recall any of the previous day's events...

The Hokage leaned back deeply into his seat, as if it was a luxurious bed for him to slumber against.

Hinata drew closer, anticipation festering every nerve in her body.

"Allow me to tell you more about the area that your mission took place in yesterday." He said calmly. His soft tone cooled down the jostling eruption of butterflies dancing in the pit of her stomach.

"You were in a forest notorious for having ninjas from all Hidden Villages pass through. A popular place to travel through, as it is the quickest route into Iwagakure, yet the deadliest. Ninjas from different villages hold different grudges against each other and will act upon these prejudices. Sometimes spies go there purposefully in the hopes of gaining knowledge of other villages affairs, others just enjoy getting caught up in the cross fire."

Hinata took a moment to consider the Hokage's words before he continued.

"It is similar to that of the Forest of Death in the Chunin Exams, and for that reason, the forest is called the Death Forest."

Hinata suddenly felt the indispensable need to vomit. The Hokage didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he didn't show it.

"I heard you ran into Alia Hisoro on that mission, although you will not remember. Let me tell you a bit about her. Alia became a missing ninja because she didn't agree with Iwagakure's policies. She detested that they treated her like a Tailed Beast―using her to do all their dirty work because of her prowess and capabilities―as she was the strongest kunoichi in their entire village. Their problem was, she was not submissive to them." Sarutobi mused.

"Thus, she became a missing ninja but vowed that she would still protect her village. By guarding Iwa's soil where it ran close to the Death Forest's crossroads, she fulfilled that promise. Before Alia personally took up that job, Iwa had lots of problems with security, and often spies and other enemy ninjas found their way into the village's ranks, via the crossroads of the Death Forest which bordered the village, and caused chaos. Alia was the perfect person to stand guard: unyielding, strong and intelligent. But last night she let her guard slip, and as a result, her body is somewhere out there being used as Orochimaru's vessel, and she herself is otherwise dead."

Under his breath, Sarutobi murmured, "The events of yesterday broke an indispensable balance..."

Something told Hinata that she wasn't supposed to hear that, but the oblivious old man was already standing up and patting her firmly on the shoulder.

"Iwa is in desperate need of a replacement."

Hinata blinked confused translucent eyes before the pieces snapped together.

"You leave this office with a big task on your hands, now." Sarutobi let go of her shoulder. "It's a huge responsibility. Do you think you can handle it?"

Hinata nearly choked. "You want me to be Alia Hisoro's replacement?"

"It was a personal request from Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone Village's Kage."

Hinata didn't elaborate on her stunned silence.

"Obviously, someone else will be with you."

Hinata supposed she deserved the _stark _emphasis Hiruzen Sarutobi put on his first word, given her current aptitude for weakness.

"And who will that person be?" Hinata inquired closely.

"It is a person who has been brought back to this village's ranks after learning of Naruto's death."

As Hinata waited for Sarutobi to resume, she found it suspicious that he glanced at an Uchiha crest hanging lifelessly from an unadorned wall of his office. But she didn't think anything of it.

"This person will help you whenever you are in need of assistance in a losing battle. They will remain hidden in position until they are needed and they will stay relatively close to you at all times regardless of where you go."

It sounded a bit farcical but Hinata was grateful that she would be getting assistance. Still, the person who was going to be supporting her sounded far too mysterious for her liking.

"Or Iwa will quite potentially declare war on the Hidden Leaf Village." Sarutobi sighed wearily. "The Hidden Stone have never been friendly allies with the Leaf Village. They are on the brink of becoming our enemies, in fact, if we do not cooperate with this request because they believe that your team destroyed Alia."

"What?" Hinata blurted out.

"Yes, it is absurd of them to think that, especially when I have reasoned with them that Orochimaru was the culprit. However, your team was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. To me, it seems like Orochimaru framed this."

Although the Third Hokage had a point, it felt wrong for Hinata to take up Alia's position. Alia had apparently been strong, brave, deadly and intelligent. Hinata was just Hinata. And even though she couldn't explain the feeling, her gut told her that it was downright wrong to impersonate this lady.

Hinata cleared her head.

"Knowing this, you must realise that you will be the most targeted shinobi in the Death Forest." Sarutobi said. "Alia made lots of enemies out there."

Hinata involuntarily gulped.

Reflexively, Hinata spotted something strange in the back corner behind the Hokage's desk: a glimmering, formidable weapon that had been scrutinising her patiently the whole time. It was double bladed, nearly as tall as herself, and wicked in appearance. It had a dark leather handle in the middle and jutting out on either end were the twin blades, sharp and smooth.

The inside metal of the blade was coloured light blue, the outside rimmed in real silver.

Hinata's gaze switched back to the Third Hokage in question.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot."

The candidness in Sarutobi's tone didn't ease Hinata's anxiety one bit.

"One good thing came out of Orochimaru's escape yesterday. While trying to get away, he had to abandon one of the deadliest weapons in the shinobi world―a dire regret, for his part. You will be needing that."

Hinata's colourless face turned scarlet as the Third Hokage boldly picked up the weapon and thrust it into her hands. Hinata held it to her chest giddily.

"Although you would expect Alia to have been able to make it that day, enemies there in the Death Forest are tough and work like wolves, usually in packs of at least three. Are you prepared to fight against more than you have ever handled before, Hinata?"

"Yes," Hinata responded without hesitation. If Alia could do it, then she could too. She had a bloodline limit. Someone else would be with her too. And she had the determination to see this mission through to the end.

"Though the _Twin Blades of Devastation_ should help you, you have certainly not mastered it yet. This weapon could easily become a liability if you let it. And it will be terribly easy for foes to overwhelm you if you yourself let your guard slip and are not careful."

Seeing her stricken face, the Hokage smiled at her as if to a beloved daughter.

"Don't be afraid. Your mission starts in one months' time. That's the most amount of time I was able to haggle from the Stone Village to let you train for this position—they suspected you to be Alia's likeliest killer as their informer noticed blood was stained all over your clothes. I have an elite Anbu taking up the job until you're ready to do it. I expect you to train yourself hard, in the meantime, Hinata." Sarutobi said solemnly, and Hinata nodded.

She exited the office stiffly.

Slouching on the opposite side of the office's door, its bare mahogany surface coolly pressing into her back and the formidable weapon clutched tightly in her hands, Hinata almost jumped out of her skin when she heard another voice, definitely not the Hokage's, speak on the other side.

Stamping down her treacherous guilt, Hinata delicately pressed her ear against the door, in order to get a better listen. Apparently, in the time that she had exited, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been able to summon an Anbu Captain into his office:

"Anbu Captain, is there any cure for the memory loss serum? Can Danzo's memory loss drug be undone with jutsu?"

"No, I'm afraid. It is too risky and could potentially result in damaging the victim's mind."

A pause.

In that sparse moment, Hinata allowed herself to think worriedly, _What am I doing? I probably shouldn't be hearing this._

"Well then, we need Tsunade. I never thought I would have to request for her help..."

"Medical ninjutsu definitely won't work either, Hokage-sama. Danzo's drug was designed specifically to inhibit all cures, ninjutsu and any other methods. Our nurses have easily summarised that. Tsunade will be of no assistance."

Hinata heard the soft, muffled, rhythmic thuds of someone pacing, back and forth, back and forth, erratically. Then the rustling sound of the Anbu Captain passing papers to the Hokage as he briskly continued.

"Those are the medical reports. The effects of the drug could take up to weeks, months, maybe even years to wear off."

"And what will Danzo be plotting up until then? It bothers me greatly."

"I don't think Danzo is your greatest threat, if I may amend, Hokage-sama. I was there on that day... I think you should be more worried about the increasingly suspicious activities of Orochimaru, Jiraiya and Kakashi Hatake. Although it still makes no sense why Danzo cleared their memories—"

The men stopped speaking abruptly. Hinata could feel the heavy pressure of their silence inside the office ooze out into the hallway in which she stood shell-shocked, weapon tightly in hand.

Hinata didn't think in the next few seconds: she only ran, desperate not to get caught, and felt deeply ashamed of her actions.

* * *

><p>The funeral took place three days later. All of Naruto's friends gathered in one place, the people he'd grown accustomed to as his unbiological family because they had filled the function a proper family should, showering him with unconditional love.<p>

It was a sunny day, in fact, and the fresh breeze ran its fingers through their hair soothingly, the sweet smell of lilies, roses and chrysanthemums in its wake, lulling their minds towards peaceful thoughts.

During the ceremony, Hinata stood in between Sakura and Tenten. She spied a dark, lone figure, almost invisible in the mass crowd of mourners, dwelling at the back.

After the ceremony, the scents of hundreds of flowers lingered on the soft breeze.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

Hinata supposed that she should consider Kakashi's words. If Naruto hadn't had his short life, he wouldn't have been able to touch her with his courageousness, or teach her heart that weakness is not innate for those that are weak.

She turned to Kakashi then.

"What do you suppose made him survive longer than he was meant to?"

It was an answer she'd been derived the benefit of receiving so far and to Hinata's ears she had asked the question innocently enough. Surely she deserved the right to know?

A guardedness slowly seeped its way over Kakashi's expression. He gestured away from the crowd towards a deserted side-street.

They journeyed their way there in stiff silence.

"I understand that it's crippling to lose your memories, full stop. Especially after the mission that involved Naruto's death." Kakashi stated, stopping and leaning against a wall. "So I suppose you deserve some answers right now to feed your curiosity. But I'm afraid it's best that you learn quickly to stop asking questions and live with your missing memories for the time being. I'm truly sorry."

"_Listen_." Hinata said, taking a heated, shuddery breath. "No, you don't understand. It was less than convenient but more _coincidental_ that my team happened to lose our memories straight after that mission. None of us buy that we're suffering from severe concussions. We don't want sympathy, we want _answers_."

_Or our memories back, better yet_.

Then, in a small breath, Hinata added, "It infuriates me that I don't even remember who killed him."

"Is it not obvious?" Kakashi questioned, astonishment over Hinata's earlier feistiness transforming into astonishment over her obliviousness.

Hinata could already feel the headache developing "What?"

She had newfound hatred for this mystery person who had murdered Naruto in cold blood. If Kakashi could really enlighten her on whom Naruto's mystery killer was she could start plotting vengeance on them, with or without her teammates.

Hinata felt her hands discretely clenching and unclenching.

"You'll figure it out." Kakashi waved off nonchalantly.

"Stop playing mind games with me, Kakashi!" Hinata exploded. "You took me away from Naruto's funeral to tell me _that_? I'll basically have to wait, for who knows how long, for my memories to miraculously return?"

He nodded.

Hinata's rage didn't simmer. Instead it catapulted. She didn't give Kakashi any time to respond.

"You think this is right? Withholding information from me―someone who can honour Naruto's death by gaining vengeance on his killer and _preventing_ them from ruining more lives―automatically makes you as bad as his murderer. Because you're _protecting_ them." Hinata spat. "Making it seem like it was _alright_ for them to kill Naruto, which it was not!"

"Did it ever occur to you that your memories were taken away in order to prevent this sort of reaction?" Kakashi asked acerbically.

Hinata narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Well it's had the opposite effect on me." Hinata stated crudely. "And _why_? Why would you be so afraid of a reaction like this?_"_

_You must be hiding something..._

With no more patience left to console her, Hinata walked in the opposite direction of the funeral ceremony, towards the training grounds, soon breaking off into a furious run. Then she stopped midway, turning back to glare at Kakashi.

"I was told that my team were hoping―not _expecting_―to find Naruto alive that day on the mission. That, in itself, was a resurrection. Unless you can tell me that there is a way to bring Naruto back from the dead now, I will make myself stronger. Because believe you me, I will find whoever his murderer is and they will not know what hit them." Hinata growled, tapping her forehead sharply twice. "Even if it takes _years_, the truth always comes out."

At that moment, even to Kakashi, Hinata's undaunted features reminded him of someone mighty, like Alia. She needed someone to take her anger, confusion, and frustrations out on. She didn't trust him, and without knowing who Naruto's killer was, she had decided that he was as good as any scapegoat.

Kakashi spoke up. "Revenge is not for you, Hinata. Remember, in death, there can be resurrection: you can move on."

There was something cryptic about Kakashi's blistering stare as he said those words, especially the resurrection part. And Hinata was sure that if she had asked what he'd meant, he would have elaborated, he would have given her something to do to help her move on.

But instead Hinata shook her head. "Vengeance is my way now."

Hinata's face still wore a look of utter confusion. For a few moments, she debated the virtuousness of her own words. Then she shook her head, instead resigning herself to this simple fact alone:

_He's just playing around with your mind. It's just in his nature: he's always been like that._

She also tried to push aside the feeling that bad times were ahead, specifically for herself.

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><p><strong>AN:** Sasuke is coming next chapter! Kawaiiiiii! ^^ :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Resurrection**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Acknowledgements:** umnia **:)** RikuDai **:)** Encuentrame **:)** LizzieBCT **:) **Thank you! *bows*

Lizzie BCT you asked an important question about the characters' ages which I must apologise about not making clear! This story is indeed AU based.

**Characters' Ages in years:**

Hinata 16

Naruto 16

Sasuke 16

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

* * *

><p><em>Four weeks later<em>

Translucent eyes flickered open and Hinata acknowledged the grass clenched in her fists, tickling the back of her neck and spine, peeping out through the gaps between her fingers and cushioning her whole being. Slowly, so as to not agitate the injuries she might have attained while training ferociously, Hinata rose and found—to her satisfaction—that she was no longer aching or throbbing after passing out on the forest floor.

Hinata carefully picked up the Weapon of Devastation.

While she had slept, a nightmare illustrating the horrors she might face in her upcoming mission in the Death Forest rekindled her fears that she was not strong enough.

_Yet_.

Hinata wanted to get back to training as soon as possible and granted that her chakra had fully replenished, after having passed out from exhaustion, she would be able to do just that.

_But first_, Hinata thought, raising Alia's weapon accusatorily at the sloping trees lining the clearing. _I've got an intruder to confront._

Hinata narrowed her eyes. She had sensed that someone else was there with her, likely watching her training progress, and although she didn't feel like they were much of a threat if they were only _watching_ her, she appreciated it about as much as she had appreciated Kakashi's advice at Naruto's funeral.

"I train better when I'm alone." Hinata stated aloud, matter-of-factly, lowering the extravagant weapon clenched in her fist. "So the sooner you show yourself and leave, the sooner I can carry on."

Now that this person had stepped away from their hiding place and into her line of view, Hinata realised how terribly wrong she had been to _not_ consider the presence of this person a threat.

This was Sasuke Uchiha.

"You can continue training when I've finished my business with you." He announced cryptically.

The way Sasuke _said_ it like that sent unpleasant shivers ricocheting along her spine.

His matt black hair hung messily into his face, quivering with every step he took as he approached her, until he stopped, barely a metre away.

Then, and only then, did Hinata begin to realise that Sasuke must have already been in the Hidden Leaf Village for quite some time—dutifully lurking in its recesses in the form of a brooding shadow—but for how long?

The pieces of an ever unending puzzle seemed to slink together in Hinata's mind as she recalled the meeting in Sarutobi Hiruzen's office and felt her stomach lurch in dread:

_"Obviously, someone else will be with you."_

_Hinata supposed she deserved the __stark __emphasis Hiruzen Sarutobi put on his first word, given her current aptitude for weakness._

_"And who will that person be?" Hinata inquired closely._

_"It is a person who has been brought back to this village's ranks after learning of Naruto's death."_

The only significant person who had ever left the Hidden Leaf Village's civilisation was standing right in front of her and Hinata couldn't call to mind anyone else other than Sasuke strong enough for the job.

_Kiba will be outraged that Sasuke was chosen over him to accompany me, _Hinata thought.

Sasuke now had both corners of his mouth upturned in what Hinata supposed he considered a smirk, but looked more like a manic grin.

"I would like to know first," Hinata said, "Why you would come back to the Hidden Leaf Village."

The manic grin on Sasuke's face inexorably faded into a sad smile, which Hinata didn't fail to notice.

"Naruto's death. But that wasn't the only reason why I came back. I remembered something Naruto said to me at the Valley of the End." Sasuke stated, his sleepless eyes—dark bangs crested underneath like the shadows that haunted his past—were a doubtless testimony to the countless, pensive hours he must have spent thinking over the decision he had made to come back to the civilisation of the Hidden Leaf village.

"… There are bigger threats to face because, after all, Itachi is only a single ninja out of dozens who wreak existences in the ninja world."

Hinata's breath hitched in her throat like an insect trapped between a narrow crevice—it took an unearthly amount of time to find its way back out.

_This was what she should be considering for herself. Was vengeance on Naruto's mystery killer going to solve the biggest problem in the bigger picture?_

Hinata shook her head with conviction, ignoring Sasuke's penetrating stare as he observed her internal tirade.

_What did Sasuke know? He spent the past three years of his life and all his childhood wanting to see Itachi dead by his own hands!_

Finally, Hinata spoke, clutching the Weapon of Devastation tighter.

"What business is it that you have with me, as you mentioned earlier?" Hinata asked.

Sasuke looked into her undaunted translucent eyes, and said, "I want to see if you're worthy of having my protection during this mission. In other words, I want to see how strong you are. Which means, I want to fight you."

"I train for two very important purposes." Hinata seethed. _Revenge_, she thought, _and this mission of ours_.

"_Which means_, Sasuke, the sooner you go, the sooner I can get back to my training. I am not interested in fighting you. And you're _obliged_ by orders of the Hokage to accompany my on this mission, whether you think I'm strong or not." Hinata fumed.

Once again, the corners of Sasuke's mouth gave way to a manic smirk.

"Are you scared of me, Hinata?" He questioned deftly.

_Maybe a little,_ Hinata thought, but she didn't voice this.

Keeping her voice level and steady, she lied, "No, I'm not."

It seemed, either by an act of nature or an unseen force, Sasuke had migrated from one metre away from her, to half a metre closer.

"I can't force you." Sasuke said, his words contradicting his actions as he moved even closer, his presence both intimidating and suffocating. "And yes, I will still protect you. But your adamant attitude towards training continues remind me of myself, when I wanted to be strong enough to exact revenge. Care to justify yourself?"

Sasuke's voice dripped with open mirth which unsettled Hinata as much as his close proximity.

_Enough, _Hinata thought forcibly.

The Blade of Devastation had been routed in the ground but Hinata yanked it out with enough ferocity to rip out the earth surrounding it, sending a spray of mud and grass in Sasuke's direction.

The Lone Surviving Uchiha smiled in delight at Hinata's obvious rage, having successfully roused her into a fight.

"So I am right about you wanting to avenge Naruto's death. Surprisingly, that doesn't surprise me. You had a thing for the dobe, didn't you?" Sasuke stated impassively. "Well, the people closest to those that have died fall the hardest."

"I don't see how that is anything you should concern yourself with. Now fight me. That's what you wanted, or do I stand corrected?" Hinata challenged. She poised her body in anticipation.

"No." Sasuke replied, calmly turning on his bloodline limit and smiling.

A fierce gust of wind shoved past them then, as if impatiently urging them to begin the fight, and moments later, Hinata was literally neck-and-neck with Sasuke.

His infuriating face was a heartbeat away from her own as Hinata futilely attempted to break out of the trap she had gotten herself into.

Both of Sasuke's hands had caught her weapon, now pressed horizontal against his torso.

While trying to initiate the first blow, Hinata had lacked both speed and precision, easily allowing Sasuke to stop her.

_I'll need to be quicker next time, _Hinata coached herself. _I__n, out._

However, right now, her main priority was disentangling herself from Sasuke.

"Are you stuck?" Sasuke asked, and Hinata grudgingly noted the amusement prominent in his tone.

Her callous answer was letting go of her weapon and activating Byakugan, ready to close up each and every one of his chakra points.

Sasuke was too fast, once again, moving a safe distance back and out of reach. Sasuke's smile grew even more as he raised the blade to eye level in admiration, the light blue shade of the weapon glowing against his smooth skin. The simmering silver, rimming the outside of the twin blades, reflected the rays of sunlight hitting it, making it almost radiate a blinding, harsh light.

"I like it," Sasuke commented, his glinting eyes meeting hers. Unexpectedly, he tossed it back at Hinata and she caught it by the dark leather handle in the centre in shock.

"But I have my own harbinger of blood."

Sasuke pulled out a lethal, pincer-sharp blade from behind his back and pointed it at her in challenge.

"Now that I also have a weapon, let's continue with the hand-to-hand combat approach." Sasuke said, smirking slyly. "By the way, if you want to impress me, you're going to have to do better than you're already doing."

"I hope you're not insinuating there that you think I'm weak. Just because I'm aware of your skill level, doesn't mean I am threatened by it whatsoever." Hinata lied, once again.

_Come one, don't think about who you're fighting_, she told herself, _just do it, you can beat him._

Hinata tried to ignore the fact that she was still terrible at wielding Alia's Weapon of Devastation, and that the mission was tomorrow. If she couldn't beat Sasuke, she couldn't survive during the mission tomorrow in the Death Forest. She would surely die.

Hinata studied Sasuke's carefully executed footsteps as he zipped towards her, his deathly blade—of razor-sharp metal that could soundlessly clear Hinata of her head, attached to a thin black handle—clutched in both his hands and trailing frightening sparks of lightening in its wake.

_He can't really hurt you,_ Hinata thought to herself, suddenly petrified. She tried to move herself, lift the blade in her hands, breathe in and out. Nothing happened.

Before Hinata was even aware of what was happening, her back met the harsh impact of the training post she'd been thrown against and she tried—and failed—to peel away the hand choking her around her neck.

Sasuke's patronising face loomed over her, merciless, haughty and condensing. He wasn't going to let go of her neck until she fainted or worse—_perished_.

Out of luck, Hinata managed to calm herself down and grip the blade in her hand tighter, lifting it up off the ground.

Blindly, Hinata struck at any flesh in sight—which in this case, happened to be Sasuke's face—and noticing what she was doing, he let go of her and took a shaky step away, his Sharingan making his eyes appear demonic and incredulous at the same time.

Knowing now was not the time to celebrate her small victory, slowly, Hinata rose from the ground, legs bent purposefully, in preparation for whatever attack Sasuke had in mind.

_Now it's time to strike back like a fierce lioness!_

Without further ado, Hinata launched herself at Sasuke, as she was wont to do. Her rapidity and speed astonished Sasuke for a fraction of a second before his own instincts kicked in and he forced his katana to meet Hinata's glistering blade—shooting in an arc towards his head like a haphazard shooting star—with a profound _clash_.

Hinata pulled her sword away like she was dragging it disgustedly out of the hide of a dragon and eyed Sasuke with strengthened, valiant eyes, waiting for the tell-tale signs of an attack in order to parry against it.

Blocking a jab to her throat, Hinata quickly feigned an attack to Sasuke's neck with the Weapon of Devastation, and simultaneously brought out her right leg to incapacitate the chakra point near his left ribcage.

This would have worked, had Sasuke not brought his blade down between them at the last moment, and quickly, forcing Hinata to retreat a few metres back.

Sasuke's eyes widened in realisation: had her _foot_ touched him, he would have most likely been cost winning their match entirely. His ribcage would have been incapacitated.

Hinata didn't want to give Sasuke any more time to recover and as such, she rushed at him again.

This time, as Hinata drew nearer, she moved in zigzags in order to throw Sasuke off from predicting where her next strike was going to come from.

Despite all this, Hinata made it clear where she intended to smite Sasuke in the end: raising Alia's weapon over her head, Hinata closed the distance between them and brought the weapon down like a spear.

When Sasuke merely stepped back, Hinata lunged forward again, slashing at him futilely. This barrage carried on until Hinata had Sasuke pressed up against a tree, but for some reason he didn't seem threatened in the slightest, which bothered her greatly.

Hinata realised her mistake as she met his demonic, blood coloured eyes. The foreboding colour reminded her of a churning sea, a whirlpool of endless victims' blood, and his raven-black tome like the ink-coloured tears of the victims' families.

No _No_ NO!

Even as Hinata withheld the tip of her twin bladed sword from Sasuke's neck and took a step back, the genjutsu illusion prevailed.

Alia's weapon clattered to the ground uselessly, forgotten, and Hinata herself clutched her head in torment, plunging to the ground just as her weapon had.

From every corner of her vision inside the cage, polished weapons assaulted Hinata. They pushed her deeper and deeper into the recesses of her mind. They went through her, painlessly, but that did not stop the mental fright and fear of the pain that would soon insure when the genjutsu reached its highest factuality level: reality level. So, right now, seeing thousands of swords plunge through her body was just a joke. When one came hurtling towards Hinata's eyes and she flinched but knew she could do nothing about it, she realised that she was not going to last very long.

Without warning, an excruciating pain ripped through her lower leg and up to her waist and Hinata glanced down to find a red sword sticking out of her thigh.

The reason why the sword was red was because it had already been caked in a strange, bloody substance and said blood seemed to glow in the inky cage.

As Hinata plucked the weapon out, biting her lower lip because the pain felt _very_ real—and this illusion could prevail for hours, days, even _years_—yet another sword shot through the bars of her cage.

Hinata waited for it to imbed in her right arm—the direction it was heading in—however this one simply slipped through her flesh and disappeared out the other side of the cage like all the others.

Only the red swords, the ones seemingly caked in blood, Hinata realised, could inflict "real" physical pain. The rest just sailed through her harmlessly.

Already, the throbbing in her right thigh was subsiding. At least Sasuke was pleasant enough to dim the pain of her injuries after a few minutes of their torture. That definitely made the matter of being stabbed to death repeatedly less stressful.

The thought of him watching her while she suffered in this anguishing illusion made her stomach churn.

Clenching her fists, Hinata bashed the bars of the cage, ignoring the sword that had just flown through her head, and tried to channel her chakra towards her brain. Hopefully, that way, maybe she could disrupt the genjutsu with her own chakra's interference but that usually only worked if there was someone else uninhibited by the genjutsu standing nearby to assist—

Hinata could almost feel it. The genjutsu was past its intermediate level and was now about to initiate its highest level: reality.

A scream ripped out of her throat as, suddenly, the thousands of weapons swimming their way towards her darkened until they were blood-coloured, and rapidly hunted for their target: her.

In the first few seconds, five of the swords got her: one in the same place that had been struck before; the second straight into her chest; the third a bit lower down into her stomach; the forth into her back and the fifth plunged straight into her left foot.

Hinata didn't want to do it but she knew that it was the only way she would be able to break out of this illusion and it didn't look like her sanity could fight against it for must longer.

One by one, Hinata blocked off her chakra points.

"What are you doing? Won't doing that hinder you from all movement, much less the ability to even fight?" Came Sasuke's distant, deep, disembodied voice.

"Not if I partially block them off. I'll still be able to move but I won't be able to access my chakra anymore and that's absolutely fine if it means putting an end to this chakra-based genjutsu illusion." Hinata stated ruefully, her own blood dripping down the side of her mouth as she spoke.

Immediately after Hinata blocked off her last chakra point located next to the heart, she was lying once again on the forest floor, not an unusual position she hadn't visited once upon a time.

Now that losing her sanity over being slandered by hundreds of blades was over, Hinata could barely look at Sasuke. Not just because he had humiliated her, but also because she was truly scared of the monster in him.

"Are you going to continue sparring?" Came Sasuke's rudimentary whisper above her.

Hinata knew that it was an innocent enough question to ask, but shock fused with the adrenaline coursing through her veins turned that question into something of an offence that warranted her uncontrollable, bitter rage.

To show her contempt, Hinata flung her head up to glare at Sasuke.

"No. I'm going to return home and do what little self-piteous girls like me do: cry for the rest of the day and into the night over my incompetence. Tomorrow, I might not live to see another day in the Death Forest."

Sasuke quirked a perfect eyebrow.

"If this is because you couldn't beat me, don't be so hard on yourself. The purpose of our match was so that I could gauge how strong you are, and now I know. And I don't think you're going to die tomorrow."

Hinata lifted her dejected gaze up to Sasuke's face. His hard obsidian eyes reflected unbidden stolidity, like he'd defaulted that expression on his stony face.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me how strong _that_ is meant to be?" Hinata implored.

Sasuke only shook his head, dark eyes unyielding.

_I didn't think so,_ Hinata thought.

Dragging the Weapon of Devastation up along with her, Hinata ignored the pain shooting up her spine from the time spent sprawled on the ground during the genjutsu—_that_ must have prevailed for awhile, because already, the sun was setting—Hinata used what little ounce of strength she had remaining in her to leave the silence of the forest and prayed for the best repercussions from her injuries because tomorrow was the dreaded day of the mission.

No further words were spoken between her and Sasuke, and as Hinata stalked away, she failed to notice his dark eyes boring into her back or the smile that later breeched his lips.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Resurrection**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Acknowledgements: **umnia **:)** x Misty me x **:) **Thank you very much for your encouraging reviews! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

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><p>The Death Forest was an unusual forestland. It was <em>nothing<em> at all like the Forest of Death in the Chunin Exams.

The place felt bad. To put it mildly. Hinata couldn't explain the feeling but it left her gut twisting, shrivelled and dry.

Even without having the vantage point of a bird, it was clear to them that the forest was enormous, possibly hundreds of kilometres wide, it was that big.

Hinata walked side-by-side Sasuke. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, his eyes were set forward, his expression was bored, tired and gloomy. Hinata found it hard to believe that, after all this time, she had finally scored a mission with the stoic Uchiha. In fact, she wanted to laugh at the notion, but kept a solemn expression in place.

She quickly discovered that Sasuke was wont to arousing her wrath for his own amusement purposes by stating her weaknesses aloud, like he was a specialist florist handpicking flowers, except her flaws were the "blossoms" he was picking and calling her out upon to discuss. Ignoring him was a vain endeavour.

Sasuke turned to Hinata, as if reading her thoughts.

"Without Sharingan, you couldn't deflect my genjutsu effectively yesterday, but there is a way to hone your eyes to make them become immune."

Hinata could imagine herself wheeling around to face him, her complexion a deep scarlet from embarrassment. And a string of curses leaving her mouth.

But this time she simply sighed. She was drained. _No retorts this time, Uchiha_.

Hinata swore she saw Sasuke's face drop, as if in disappointment. Did he like her getting angry at him? Probably.

For his personal sick amusement purposes, Hinata could only imagine.

"We should take—" Hinata began, the words "a break" instantly dying on her tongue.

Sasuke had lifted up a hand to silence her. Hinata eyed him in questioning, her breath hitching when she noticed he had brought out three shuriken between his fingers.

"Duck." Sasuke commanded.

Before waiting for her to comply, he drew his arm back and threw.

Hinata, confused yet not stupid enough to question Sasuke's motives, ducked barely in time and her suspicions were confirmed—that she had been in danger—when she swerved around afterwards and saw that Sasuke's shuriken had successfully lobbed, and executed, its victim: a bald man with now lifeless blue eyes and a knife raised in one of his hands.

"You knew we were being followed yet you—you—!" Hinata cut herself off and activated Byakugan furiously, announcing heavily under her breath, "That will never happen again."

Sasuke wasn't even looking in her direction anymore; his dark eyes seethed into the forest ahead as if trained on his prey. Hinata conveniently left out five words of gratitude—_You saved me, thank you_—because, well she didn't know really... she just couldn't find it in her heart to show him gratitude at the moment.

In unspoken agreement, they continued to push forwards, Hinata leading the way to where they were meant to be heading. Maybe twenty, thirty miles further? It was difficult to convert the reach of her Byakugan into conceivable distance units.

The area they wanted was the section of the Death Forest which bordered Iwagakure.

"We're nearly there." She said. If Sasuke heard her, he showed no signs of it. He was, for the moment, lost in his own musings. His face was completely pensive.

Hinata uneasily and self-consciously drew closer to her indifferent companion, suddenly overcome by an inexplicable wariness of another surprise attack, should one happen again. She wanted to scorn her own cowardice but that could be left for another time.

Sasuke swiftly cast a glance at Hinata. He recognised that he had messed up saving her from the enemy ninja minutes ago—although _how_, he was unsure—so it shocked him that Hinata was sticking so close to his side and not giving him a wide berth.

"Sasuke, we're being watched." Hinata warned, her frightened words penetrating his quiet musings.

_Get yourself together._ Hinata told herself quickly. _You can't afford to show weakness now!_

Taking a deep breath, and lowering a hand behind her back, Hinata slowly pulled out the Weapon of Devastation. It had been attached to her back inside a makeshift container before the mission.

Abruptly a twig snapped and Hinata flinched, almost dropping her heavy weapon in paranoid-shock, but it had only been Sasuke stepping forward.

The Last Uchiha's face was taut, not a very good sign, and their surroundings seemed to exalt tense anticipation.

After the longest moment, they finally came out: fifteen rogue ninjas, all from seemingly different villages.

"What have we here?" A crude voice from the middle of the dirty pack greeted them, the pleasure in their voice unmistakeable.

"Two Hidden Leaf Village shinobi. What could the Leaf be sending troops out _here_ for?" A second voice joined in, tone curious and mischievous.

"Hey! That bald man you killed back there? He was part of our pack!" An incredulous voice screamed.

"Shut up! What we should do is interrogate them! This section of the Death Forest is our territory!"

"Yeah! We've claimed this part of the forest and mindless intruders get dealt with accordingly, alright!"

"All of you just shut up." Sasuke monotonously hissed. "You're all idiots. No part of the Death Forest can be claimed by low-lives or scum like you because it's the private property of a corrupt and wealthy landowner."

A rogue nin stepped forward to contradict Sasuke. "Oooh, you know your facts, young boy! But listen here. We're _rogue ninjas_ and therefore we already don't follow any of the rules anyway. Also, where else can we live? We're Wanted in almost all the Hidden Villages and this is among one of the only places where we can find salvation from being hunted," The ninja chuckled.

"That is, unless you don't count us being hunted by each other." He remarked, lifting up a katana blade and pointing it at Sasuke's chest. "So, which will you be in this place, Leaf village ninjas? The predator or prey?" He laughed, humourlessly.

Before Sasuke could retort anything remotely offensive, Hinata surprised herself by speaking aloud in front of the fifteen rogue ninjas.

"We won't be either. We don't plan on living here. Please let us pass peacefully," Hinata insisted, attempting to negotiate with them, because it was their last chance to dissuade the option of using violence.

The ugly man sneered at Hinata. "What would we gain by releasing you?"

"_Releasing_," Sasuke spat, "was the wrong word to choose, old man."

The fourteen rogue ninjas, not including the man whose throat Sasuke had just nonchalantly slit, gasped in unison.

Sasuke turned around to face them, his eyebrow raised and arms back to his sides as if he had done nothing wrong. "That's what you get for getting on my bad side."

Hinata, too stunned to speak, could only gape at Sasuke and the mess he had created—the _pandemonium_ he had just let loose.

"You killed our captain!"

"—and that bald guy—"

"You two Leaf shinobi will pay!"

"—with your lives—"

"If we have anything to do about it!"

Suddenly, all the rogue ninjas were lurching at them, a sea of misshapen, ill-faced fury.

The first wave dropped to the ground instantly, victims to the genjutsu of Sasuke's merciless, brutal Sharingan, their bodies curling and writhing in agony.

Still not moving from where he was standing, Sasuke incapacitated the majority of rogue nins leftover with a fearsome ball of fire, courtesy of a Fire Style jutsu.

Hinata was just left with a badly injured straggler, who lost consciousness the moment her fingers _touched_ them, let alone blocked off any of their chakra points. This was not how she had imagined things would go.

Hinata swerved on Sasuke.

"If this is how you plan to go about every battle, you're not fulfilling the mission objectives—" Hinata seethed.

"So?"

"—which are to help me whenever I am in need of assistance in a _losing_ battle—"

"Do you honestly think I care? Tch."

"—and in that battle I was clearly winning nor losing because _you_ did not allow me the chance fight anyone!"

"You fought one person, if I recall correctly, Hyuuga."

"Who didn't even count, if they are already incapacitated by you! Which reminds me—" Hinata snarled.

"Hn. You are tough to please."

"—I heard from the Third Hokage that you are to remain hidden in position until you are needed and I don't remember _needing_ you—"

"You would be _dead_ if I wasn't by your side at all times."

"—and fair enough, Sarutobi did say that you are to stay relatively close to me at all times, but still—"

"This would be a suicide mission on your part if I wasn't here, so just admit it—"

"—Sasuke, I'll never need you!"

"—Hinata, you'll always need me!"

Their heated silence didn't last long. Wholesome raindrops broke them out of their trance by exploding against their foreheads, forcing the two shinobi to stop glaring into each other's eyes and snap their heads up, at the same time, to survey the unperturbed sky.

"I just wanted to help you, that is it." Sasuke grounded stonily.

Hinata was still angry at him but hearing those words made some of her anger subside. She couldn't believe what she was about to say.

"When you first saved me from the man behind me holding a knife, I forgot to thank you." Hinata said, bowing her head. "Thank you, Sasuke."

"Hn." Sasuke turned away before Hinata could catch his reaction but she was fairly certain they just absolved their earlier argument.

Hinata allowed a small smile to brighten her features.

They did not speak for the rest of the journey, to the section of the Death Forest which bordered Iwagakure, but the silence was comfortable.

* * *

><p>When they reached the Death Forest's crossroads with Iwagakure, Hinata noticed the area of this forest looked like it had seen far too much devastation. The darkened, scarred land was scorched in many areas from fires, and capsized tress lay strewn on the forest floor, many of them with multitudinous kunais struck through them… It was like the trees were animal carcasses, shot through by a handgun multiple times—holes like gaping eyes scattered the length of the trees' rough bark.<p>

The entire time Sasuke and Hinata had been travelling through the Death Forest, Hinata had wondered whether she would finally get back any of her stolen memories. Maybe being here would trigger them? Unfortunately, none had come back thus far. None of her surroundings at any point in the Death Forest triggered any sort of familiarity to her, not in the slightest.

_Focus on your mission objectives, Hinata! You are acting as Alia's replacement and guarding Iwakagkure from intruders!_

If Hinata squinted, she could see that the desert broke through much further ahead.

Now that they were here, they would simply guard Iwa's boarder. They would incapacitate, if necessary, any ninjas trying to trespass. It probably wouldn't be wise to stay at a fixed position. Bits and pieces of the mission details filled Hinata's mind: they would constantly need to switch posts as there were many places for enemies to infiltrate, and they had to stay relatively close to Iwa's boarder and find out the spots enemies are trying to sneak through.

Hinata recalled another last-minute mission detail, stating that she and Sasuke would need to do this patrol for five consecutive days. Five days. Having Sasuke with her was good, because it meant that when they set up camp, they could take turns keeping watch of Iwagakure at night while the other slept.

It gave her a headache. All these precautions. Necessary but draining precautions and procedures.

Her clothes were soaking from the earlier downpour which had eased up considerably now. Still, violent shivers and coughs wracked Hinata's body until she noticed that Sasuke had started a fire and she instantly succumbed to the heat, leaning in to get closer to the flames' seductive embrace.

Just as Hinata was about to hesitantly request Sasuke to make the fire bigger, the sounds of rapid, heavy footsteps stopped her.

They turned their gazes towards the unmistakable figure weaving through the trees in their direction.

Sasuke stood up and tensed in preparation for a battle, but he need not have.

This was a Leaf Village Anbu.

Hinata gasped.

The Anbu's mask was only partially present, just shy of covering the left side of the Anbu's face; the rest had seemingly been destroyed. The uniform of the Anbu was torn up and lots of it was matted in dried blood and dirt.

Most importantly, the uncharacteristic look of despair on the Anbu's bruised face made Hinata's stomach churn uncomfortably. Anbu were usually careful to keep their emotions in check. Their faces were always stoic.

"You must report back to the Hidden Leaf Village immediately! We're under attack!"

The lone figure of the Anbu stopped halfway away from them.

"How do we know you're not lying? What if this is a trap?" Sasuke questioned carefully.

The Anbu's eyes widened in terror.

"Oh…" She whispered, lowering her gaze. She pointed to some of her injuries. "Look, these are real wounds I obtained trying to protect the Hidden Leaf Village and its people! The Third Hokage is giving his best efforts to keep the enemy at bay, but the death toll is still too high!"

"Who is our enemy?" Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed darkly.

"It's an invasion from the Hidden Sound Village, and the person who The Third is up against is—"

"Orochimaru." Hinata and Sasuke uttered at the same time.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Resurrection**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Aknowledgements:** Puffy Gold **:) **umina **:) **Your support is really appreciated and I do not take it for granted!

Everyone enjoy! ^^ :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

* * *

><p><em>Obliterated<em>. It was the only word Hinata could think of at this moment to describe Konoha.

Her, Sasuke and the lone Anbu had dispatched the Death Forest immediately after Hinata and Sasuke had agreed that they would help to fight the invaders of the Hidden Leaf village. They certainly hadn't needed more convincing after Orochimaru had been confirmed as the leader of it all.

The next morning, at approximately dawn, they arrived in the Village Hidden in the Leaves to find that the fighting was still going on. The lone Anbu left, shortly upon their arrival. Shouts and screams, panicked and anguished, echoed through the dawn air, sending shrill fingers rippling along the length of Hinata's spine.

The stench of decaying bodies and fresh blood filled her nostrils as Hinata made her way through the heavily damaged village, making sure not to step on the corpses of Leaf and Sound shinobi alike.

_I can only hope against hope that everyone dear to me is safe…_

This attack had clearly been planned. The thought of anyone spending hours devising the best way to hurt the people of her village caused a wave of hatred to wash over her. Hinata clenched her fists.

As she prayed that this was all just a nightmare, an ear-splintering scream interrupted that train of thought and caused Hinata's head to snap back.

She turned just in time to see a Sound shinobi's head being bashed against the wall of a building, and hear the sickening crack that followed afterwards.

Kakashi locked gazes with her as he let go of the shinobi's skull and his hands fell back to his sides.

Hinata just turned away and carried on.

At some point during her mindless stupor of wandering aimlessly around her wrecked homeland, not quite being able to plunge herself out of her shocked and traumatised trance, Hinata stumbled upon a large pile of dead bodies.

At least, she had _thought_ they were dead.

Upon closer inspection, she realised that the bodies—the majority being Hidden Leaf shinobi—were simply not moving, just breathing and turning tormented eyes towards her in a silent plea.

"… _Paralysed_?" Hinata breathed in shock.

"Yes." Sasuke said from behind her. He gripped her shoulder tightly and steered her away. "Let's keep moving. There is nothing we can do for them."

It was true. Hinata knew no medical ninjutsu whatsoever. Still, it didn't stop her from wrenching her shoulder free and turning back to her helpless allies.

"Do you think that will stop the Sound shinobi from stumbling across them and making a bloodbath out of them? The least I can do is protect my allies." Hinata stated, her back towards him. "If that were me, I would want someone to protect me too."

Suddenly, Sasuke was at her side again. His expression was unreadable, his obsidian eyes flashing as a ray of sunlight captured his irises.

"What do you suppose you're going to do for them?"

Hinata froze. _I don't know. But it's much better than leaving them abandoned like this…_

"I'll figure out a way to get them to the Medical Facility, Sas—"

Dark eyes flashed. "No. That would be impossible to do on your own. Especially if a Sound ninja came along—you wouldn't be able to protect them and fight at the same time. I'll get them to the Medical Facility. You continue on."

"Okay." Hinata agreed. She lifted her eyes up to meet Sasuke's and let her gratitude show. "Thank you."

"Tch." He muttered, turning away.

Just as Hinata was about to leave, hoping that she could go and find Kiba and Shino, a noticeable shift in her surroundings made her stop in her tracks.

_Hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_!

Slowly, Hinata pivoted around. Not far from where the pile of paralysed bodies lay, a shadow hung over the buildings.

Hinata felt her breath hitch in her throat uncomfortably. Sasuke simply narrowed his eyes.

_Hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_!

This time, the high-pitched bleating hiss was higher. Hinata tried not to cringe as the lithe body of a gigantic snake coiled around the building to their left and squeezed it tightly. Seconds later, the building effectively fell apart, bricks and rubble raining down towards them.

Hinata reacted. Flinging herself in front of the pile of paralyzed shinobi from her village—standing between them and the hailstorm of rubble above—she screamed, "Rotation!"

Hinata forgot about Sasuke, and the dozens of lives she had just successfully protected.

The snake had focused its petrifying eyes on her. And Hinata was unable to move.

This time, _she_ was paralyzed as it raised its lithe body away from the building and advanced towards her. The Curse Mark etched onto its gigantic neck rippled. It opened its wide jaw and revealed fangs twice as big as her own body.

Without warning, the snake jerked upwards, shuddered, then collapsed to the ground.

Hinata blinked. She moved her arm to cover her mouth and choked back a sob. She could move again. Her death was no longer imminent.

Upon instinct, Hinata swerved around. Sasuke stood in the same place as he had been before—behind the pile of paralysed Leaf shinobi—but his eyes, they were a huge giveaway. _Did Sasuke control the snake at the last moment? Maybe he did... I swear I saw the Sharingan flash in snake's pupils…. seconds before it collapsed…_

"Thank you, you saved—" Hinata began, only to be cut off.

Sasuke touched a hand to his face and his eyes returned to normal.

"Go." He said.

Without hesitation, Hinata left.

* * *

><p>It was one hour later that Hinata managed to find any of her comrades.<p>

She had just passed by the Hyuuga compound—thankfully, it appeared completely unscathed by the attacks—so she assumed her family were all alright.

A measly Sound ninja had tried to sneak up on her and take her down, but Hinata had sensed them quickly enough to knock them unconscious with chakra infused fists.

Her eyes had trailed up to the wrecked buildings and houses around her when she saw Sakura running out of the Medial Facility and dashing towards her.

"Hinata!" Sakura cried desperately.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked worriedly, approaching Sakura.

The medic's short hair fell into her face to mask her expression as she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Hinata."

"What's wrong?" Hinata demanded again. Her body tensed. Hinata felt her gut closing up in panic. Who could it be that had Sakura so worked up? Why was Sakura apologising?

Sakura shook her head. She glanced subtly at the Hyuuga compound.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata, there was nothing much I could do for her! She went into cardiac arr—"

"What are you talking about?" Hinata almost shouted.

Sakura held back a sob and motioned Hinata towards the entrance of the Medical Facility.

Hinata followed stiffly. She felt like everyone was watching her, just waiting for her to do something dramatic, the moment she set foot inside.

_Why are you watching me?_ Hinata wanted to yell. But she need not have: her livid expression was more than enough. She inwardly cringed, seeing people's gazes lower sympathetically. Most of them were injured Leaf shinobi, sitting on tatami mats, or lying down, eerily still. Their whispers and murmurings silenced.

"Hinata." Sakura turned to look at her directly in the eyes. "Hanabi is dead."

Hinata felt her gut close up entirely.

"How?" She agonised, her voice quiet.

Sakura gulped and lowered her gaze. "She was found buried underneath a collapsed building. You really won't want to know about the numerous injuries she sustained from that alone."

Hinata nodded. _You're right. I don't._

Hinata never imagined that her talented younger sister would die before her. And Hinata had hoped that when the time came, Hanabi would die a painless death, her suffering ended swiftly and mercifully. They lived in the Shinobi World, after all.

"… In the end she died of severe brain damage. If it makes you feel better, we've been caused to believe Hanabi's death was a result of protecting her fellow classmate, Konohamaru, whom had been in the path of the falling building, so she—"

"I understand." Hinata murmured. "She sacrificed herself for him."

Hinata turned on her heel and felt a tear fall down her cheek.

"Thank you, Sakura. You tried your best to save her. Continue treating the injured, I'm going to go out for a while."

Hanabi, the girl Hinata had cuddled at night to console her in her nightmares... Hanabi, the baby so fragile and small Hinata had once carried in her arms when she was frightened… Hanabi, the prodigy among Hyuugas but still just a little girl….

Hanabi, who would've been alive right now, if only Hinata had gotten to her in time.

The moment Hinata stepped outside the Medical Facility, she dropped her hand behind her back and brought out the Twin Blades of Devastation. Hinata's face wasn't sorrowful. It mirrored determination and valour. The sun shone on her face intensely.

_Orochimaru must be stopped_. Hinata thought. _Before_ _he takes away anyone else I love. I've already lost Naruto to his mystery killer… and now Hanabi in this invasion. I can't afford to lose anyone else!_

Little did Hinata know that Sasuke stood beside the Medical Facility, watching her; he'd long since delivered the paralysed bodies to Sakura's care. Sasuke witnessed Hinata's inner turmoil develop as she darted away, the Weapon of Devastation trailing behind her. He closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Ignoring the haunting images of Hanabi, her small body mangled and bruised, underneath a collapsed building, Hinata focused on the two chakra signatures she had foreseen with her Byakugan.<p>

One of the two chakra signatures was The Third, whose chakra was quickly diminishing.

_Faster_, Hinata thought. _He might be close to death_!

She barely noticed all the fighting going on around her. The Sound ninjas were still battling with the Leaf shinobi. Every few minutes, someone from her village died. She had still not seen any of her teammates. _Could they be dead_?

Hinata's movements slowed. Ahead of her was a crippled body lying on the ground. Next to the person's white head was a white and red Hokage hat. Plunged through the torso of the person's body was a sword. Their murderer hadn't even bothered to take the blade out.

"Niccce of you to come along, Hinata." Came a voice behind her.

She turned around.

"Snake." Hinata greeted Orochimaru. Her face mirrored revolt.

"You can't sssay my name anymore? How unfortunate." He teased.

Hinata tried to control her temper. Standing in front of her was the man responsible for her sister's death. And now the Third Hokage's. Yet he spoke to her like an oblivious and innocent child.

Long, straight, black hair framed Orochimaru's pointy face. A low fringe hung into his predatory eyes. His pupil's were venomous slits. Hinata had heard many stories in the past about the Snake Sanin taking on female hosts, and it was deeply disturbing to witness this for herself in reality. Long, slender legs protruded from Orochimaru's short dress, and the short sleeves allowed for his smooth, thin pale arms to be exposed. Currently, he had his hands on his hips and a wide smile was painted across his mischievous face.

_This was Alia_. Hinata realised. _Alia Hisoro_ _from the Bingo book. Sarutobi warned me that Orochimaru had taken over her._

The Hyuuga felt a pang in her heart as she turned around to look at the dead Hokage's body. What will the Hidden Leaf Village do now, without a formal leader?

Inexplicably, a strong desire for justice possessed Hinata.

"Just shut up! Stop playing games." Hinata spat. Her grip on the Weapon of Devastation tightened. Orochimaru caught onto this movement.

"You have something that's mine." He said.

Following Orochimaru's cold gaze to the blade currently in her hand, Hinata took an involuntary step back.

_He's going to fight me for this! I know I came here to kill Orochimaru but I'm still terrible at wielding this thing!_

"This weapon belongs to no one, least of all _you_!" Hinata snapped.

Orochimaru seemed amused.

"And I have a question," Hinata whispered, her voice low. She looked at the ground. "Was it you that killed Naruto?"

"Yesss. I killed Naruto. It took me three days but I did—"Orochimaru gasped.

Hinata pulled out the tip of the blade from his elbow and threw it at his neck.

In the nick of time, Orochimaru caught the weapon before it pieced his skin. His gaze flickered down to his bleeding right elbow.

Without warning, Orochimaru's head left his neck and surged toward her, mouth open wide. Hinata dodged his sharp fangs and barely missed being skewered by the sword that he coughed up from deep within his throat.

When the blade dropped to the ground, three terrifying snakes erupted from its tips and hunted for her.

Hinata stood her ground, feet routed into the gravel and legs bent. She held the Weapon of Devastation horizontal against one of the snakes' fangs, which was as long as her own arm.

These snakes were much smaller but incredibly fast and murderous.

The second snake plunged at her from behind and Hinata yelped as she rolled to the ground and jabbed it in the eye with Gentle Fist.

Panting, Hinata glared up at Orochimaru from her crouched position on the ground and beheaded the last snake as it flew at her from the side.

"Very good. I am impressed." He applauded, clapping joyously. "Maybe you should keep that weapon after all."

Confused, Hinata glared at Orochimaru as she stood up. Before she could rip out his heart and feed it to his own pet snakes, he swiftly vanished into the ground.

Hinata rushed forward to the spot Orochimaru had disappeared and beat the tip of her weapon repeatedly into the unyielding dirt.

A hand clamped down on her shoulder. "He's gone."

Sasuke.

Hinata gave him a sidelong glance. His dark eyes met hers.

Everywhere around them, Sound shinobi started to abandon the village, leaving their unfinished battles behind to join Orochimaru and await his next orders elsewhere.

Hinata turned away.

* * *

><p>When Hinata reached the Medical Facility, three Anbu rushed past her carrying the crippled body of the Third Hokage.<p>

She slid past the disarray of moaning bodies at her feet and made her way to the back of the room. This was where the recently dead were kept temporarily. Their bodies had a white sheet covering them.

"Hanabi." Hinata choked. She had reached the covered body labelled: _Hyuuga Hanabi, Main House_

For several moments she stood there. She had needed to see this to believe that her younger sister truly was gone. And yet she was too scared to uncover Hanabi's body and see what had been done to her.

And then Hinata started crying.

* * *

><p><em>Five days later<em>

The village was a mess. Most homes had been destroyed during the invasion by the gigantic snake summonings. They had attacked first, Hinata was later told by Kiba, who had miraculously been unscathed during the invasion. She had been in the Death Forest with Sasuke while that had happened.

The only reason why the village hadn't suffered a greater loss was because the Third Hokage had challenged Orochimaru, at the cost of his own life.

The funeral ceremony for The Third, and all the shinobi and civilians that had died during the invasion, took place as soon as the village was recovered enough.

People on crunches or in wheelchairs came to the ceremony and grieved over the losses of their comrades and loved ones. People had died going out to the market. In the kitchen. In bedrooms. Outside in playgrounds and parks. At work. On duty.

Hinata stood in between Sakura and Tenten, her lip trembling. A tear trailed down her cheek and she dabbed it away with her sleeve. She was wearing a black kimono.

She was distantly aware of Sasuke and Kakashi standing somewhere in front of her.

The ceremony, held by Ibiki Morino and Anko, was gloomy and depressing. The sky, murky and bleak, reflected the emptiness in their hearts.

Now, a new question hung low over everyone's heads: who would be their next Hokage?

After the ceremony, Hinata slipped past the graves in the vast field of shinobi M.I.A, and made her way to the Hyuuga compound where they were holding a private funeral ceremony for clan members who had lost their lives in the invasion.

"… Hanabi Hyuuga, of the Main House, was a faithful daughter to Hiashi Hyuuga and a loyal sister to Hinata Hyuuga. She died an honourable death."

Hinata kept her eyes trained to the ground. It was obvious every single person at this clan funeral wished her to be the one inside the coffin rather than Hanabi. That would've been the more preferable situation.

Late that night, Hinata slipped into her nightgown and for a few silent moments, she combed through her long indigo hair with her bare hands. Sighing, the Hyuuga sat down on the middle of her large bed and held her face in her hands, her body wracked with tears. Controlling her breathing, Hinata wiped the stray tears away when she felt a change in her surroundings.

Abruptly, her curtains billowed apart to reveal the figure of Sasuke Uchiha perched like a bird on her windowsill. The lights in her room were off and the only way for her to tell that it was him was by the glowing moon at his back.

Just as Hinata stood up, Sasuke moved with incredible speed and was upon her. He placed his hands on her sides and forced Hinata down. Her head hit her pillows with a soft _thud_, and before Hinata could scream at the top of her lungs, Sasuke pinned her arms above her head and cupped his hand over her mouth.

Futilely, Hinata struggled against Sasuke, thrashing and writhing, but her movements were limited.

"Mmm mh you wahmt!"

"Quiet." Sasuke whispered. He shifted his legs which were on either side of her waist. "I'll remove my hand from your mouth as long as you don't scream."

Hinata nodded. Sasuke removed his hand but didn't get off of her.

"What do you want?" Hinata repeated much more clearly, her voice low and menacing.

Sasuke activated Sharingan.

"You're going to answer a few questions I have for you."

Hinata glared.

"Don't lie to me either. I will be able to tell."

_At such close proximity and with you peering down at me like that, it would be incredibly difficult for me to lie anyway—my racing heartbeat will give me away straight away, even if I wanted to lie to you._

The wind coming from her open window made Sasuke's raven-black hair dance. Chest heaving slowly, Hinata responded. "It depends… Sasuke."

He growled and seemed to inch closer.

"Here we go. I know that look. What are you thinking?"

Hinata averted her gaze. "Vengeance."

It was an ironic topic to discuss with Sasuke.

"On Orochimaru?" Sasuke laughed at this, adding sadistically, "You've got to be kidding me."

"No!" Hinata exclaimed, straining forward so that their faces were inches apart. I'm not!"

"Even I couldn't defeat him." He cut in.

"I've got the weapon of the most skilled kunoichi in Iwagakure." Hinata countered.

Taking a deep breath, she turned her head to look meaningfully at the twin-bladed sword, leaning patiently against her bedroom wall, just out of reach.

"He got scared." Hinata stated quietly, turning back. "He got scared and slivered away."

Sasuke just stared back at her.

Hinata suddenly turned serious.

"He admitted that he killed Naruto. His invasion caused my sister's death. His invasion also claimed the lives of hundreds of nameless Leaf shinobi with our people's intentions at heart. And, finally, he has made this mourning village leaderless. Do you know what that means, Sasuke?"

"What?"

"He is going to die."

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	6. Chapter 6

**Resurrection**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto in this story as it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Acknowledgements:** umina** :) **Sadie321 **:) **I am greatly appreciative of your reviews! Thanks!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

**Written by 10ShizukaYuukiMistress10**

* * *

><p><em>Big sister?<em>

_Hanabi gasped and jumped up, rushing to grab onto her bigger sister's robes._

_Help me! I'm drawing!_

_Hanabi stuck out her sloppily painted picture towards Hinata's chest because that was as far as her arms could reach._

_Help me! It looks so wrong!_

_Hinata looked down at her little sister's drawing and smiled._

_No, it's okay. It looks good._

_Hanabi shook her head vehemently. She brought out a paintbrush and jerked it at the picture._

_Look, the eyes are too big and the nose is too sharp and the mouth is too small!_

_Hanabi leaked tears of frustration, violently jabbing holes into the paining._

_Why won't it work? Father says that everything I do must be done forcefully. But when I use too much f-force, the picture b-becomes ruined! But when I watch you do painting, all your movements are elegant and graceful and swift and effective! And your pictures look BETTER!_

_Hanabi ended her child-like rant in hearty tears._

_Hinata bit her mouth worriedly and knelt beside Hanabi. Gently, she pried the picture away from the younger girl's hands and placed it on the ground. Then she took Hanabi's hand in hers, slowly putting the paintbrush back into it. _

_Hanabi stopped crying._

"_In order to draw, you have to be patient…"_

_Hinata guided Hanabi's hand._

"… _So try again. I will watch you this time."_

The memory was painful. However, that didn't change the situation much.

Hinata always felt uneasy when her father summoned to see her.

She had requested for permission to see him and he had finally set aside the time to abide to her request.

Her father was strict and fearsome. That sometimes left Hinata wondering if they were really related. Had she not finally inherited his backbone and firmness now, that answer would've been quite simple.

Now, it was quite unclear.

It had been a week since the night Sasuke intruded in her bedroom and Hinata had begun to question his true motives. Did he really have the right to make demands like that? Was it right for her business to become his?

A month ago, Hinata would never have dreamed of summoning for her father. The notion alone was laughable.

But right now it seemed very necessary.

Hinata languidly swept her translucent gaze over the stony windows of the Clan Head's meeting room, and spoke, trying to beguile offhandedness. It was still new to her, acting firm and unwavering. Hinata took a deep breath.

"I take no responsibility over whether I will survive or not. Since I am the Clan heiress, and Hanabi is now deceased and cannot simply take my place, I am aware of how serious the situation would be if I were to die."

Hinata tried not to choke on her words. She took another deep breath and continued.

"But I must do this. I must. I know the notion would be very unsettling for you…. but please consider remarrying and producing a new heir for the clan, if it so happens that I die. I don't want to go through with this with the guilt of knowing that I have left the clan heirless, so—"

Her father looked up at her for the first time in the entirety that she had been standing there in the imposing room. Hinata felt her breath hitch in her throat.

His eyes were defeated, not challenging. They were bleary around the edges, a result from fatigue, weariness and submission.

"—Do this." He said, seizing her shoulder and holding her gaze tensely. "_This_ for your clan."

He let go of her shoulder and turned away. He looked at the dwindling cherry blossoms outside, parading out the window.

"And for yourself."

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Hinata to find her teammates the same day. They were out training beside the creek in the woods. It was close to the Aburame compound so bugs buzzed around lazily in the area.<p>

Hinata hesitated, squaring her shoulders, before taking a steadying breath and stepping in her teammates' direction—only to be stopped by a voice behind her.

"Wouldn't you like to consult with me first, hm?"

This was Shikamaru.

Hinata spared the intelligent Nara a narrow sidelong glance. She didn't quite trust him. Shikamaru was sketchy. And often manipulative, using and abusing his intellectual prowess to deceive people into thinking he was alright. That might have surprised some people—

But she saw right through him. Every time.

Shikamaru currently had a crooked smile on his ruggedly handsome face, body nonchalantly leaning back against a pine tree. His arms were folded against his chest.

"Care to tell me why you were watching me?" Hinata asked tiredly.

"Watching you?" Shikamaru repeated dubiously, obviously offended. "No… No, you've got the wrong idea. I was just strolling through the area, happened to notice you standing here—and might I add, you look lovely today, Hinata, although maybe on the pale side—and thought it would be a good idea to alleviate what's on your mind."

"I came here to talk to me team. You wouldn't be of any use to me." She said, not caring to mask her bluntness.

That wiped the smile off his face.

Hinata turned away, ready to get going. Chafed, Shikamaru reached to grab for her but seemed to change his mind and retracted.

"I know what you're here to tell them. I'm sure you're actually going to ask them for permission, you're so meek and polite." Each word he said was with venom.

Hinata flinched. She turned to face him again, rage lit in her eyes, now giving him her full attention:

"What do you want?"

Shikamaru actually laughed. He rubbed his head.

"Well, you know… what I've been wanting from you since the start. I want you to listen to me."

This made her go silent. Hinata fell so still, in fact, that she could actually feel the wind billowing through her clothes. She could hear her teammates, not too far away in the distance, arguing. And the constant chirping and clipping of the bugs. And if she felt past that, the tension in the air between them.

Hinata met Shikamaru's dark, volatile eyes, not sure where they were going to lead her, and let him know that he now had her undivided attention.

Shikamaru closed his eyes.

"Orochimaru… is just… is just. Evil." He began. "Pure evil. To be honest, if a scumbag like that murdered my sensei, teammates or family, I think I'd want to kill them too. Speaking of which," Shikamaru's eyes lifted up to playfully lock with hers. "He is in the Bingo book. It is perfectly acceptable to hunt him down."

Shikamaru lifted himself off from the tree trunk.

"So what I'm saying is, the logical thing to do is kill the bastard."

Hinata nearly choked on her next words. "So you support me?"

"I never said I didn't support you, Hinata. Listen more carefully next time."

With a grin, he walked away.

Hinata stood there, stunned. It was the first time Shikamaru had ever confronted her, and the confrontation had ended like this, with her standing baffled. Hinata wondered if this is how he went about every of his mysterious confrontations, although imaginably only ones that stole the hearts of unsuspecting women.

"_He is in the Bingo book. It is perfectly acceptable to hunt him down."_

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. She would have to see what her teammates said next.

In the time it took to walk to where they were, Hinata mused over Shikamaru's cryptic words and attempted to shrug off the invasiveness of being watched by him.

The creek slowly came into view and so did her surprised teammates' faces.

Kiba's eyes widened and he scratched the back of his head, standing a little straighter.

"Oh, hey, Hinata! Er, well… not to be rude but what brings you here? Not that we don't welcome your presence but you don't train with us on Tuesday's… at least not anymore?"

The last part was said with a hint of hopefulness, but Hinata dashed away any hope that may have been in Kiba's heart with the solemn look in her translucent eyes. Kiba searched her expression confusedly, his brow slightly furrowing.

"No. I'm just here to tell you something. Well, ask you of your approval of something. I have made the decision but it comes down to this: if you don't agree, I'll drop it. I won't do it. But I wish you would just trust…"

Hinata looked down. This was the only time her resolve was breaking. Not in front of her father or in front of Shikamaru, but now in front of her team…. It came down to this. Her teammates were in the same boat as her. They had all lost their memories too.

But she felt as though this was more than just proving a point to her teammates. It was her trying to also prove to herself that she could act strong and back down, let this vengeance drop—have a way out of the darkness sucking her in. Her teammates would be that light at the end of the tunnel… or the door that would shut it out. With their choice.

"… I want to avenge the people Orochimaru has taken away from us. From _me_." Hinata bit her lip, knowing it sounded selfish. "It's eating me up and at the moment, I don't care if I die trying."

Hinata looked up.

"And I want to do it alone." _I will do it alone_.

Kiba nor Shino said a word, only held her gaze motionlessly. Kiba was unusually still.

"What do you say?" Hinata asked, several moments later. Her wide eyes were filled with fretful apprehension.

Shockingly, Kiba didn't say a word, could not even meet her eyes. Instead Shino spoke up, his tone, as always, eerily calm.

"We would not question you about something for which you have such an unwavering resolve."

The cold wind whipped a lock of indigo hair into her eyes.

Behind Shino's dark glasses, Hinata could see nothing of his expression. And she knew he would not say any more. But that was all she needed to hear.

When Hinata turned to look at Kiba, he nodded, with the same conviction on his face that Shino had held in his voice. Except his eyes could not quite portray their earlier aliveness. They were dead. With grief.

Because she might not be coming back.

And even she knew that.

* * *

><p>:: oOo :: <strong>Dreamscape<strong> :: oOo ::

_Hinata stood in the middle of a field of roses. White. Red. Pink. Yellow. Orange. Black. Blue._

_Hinata stepped forward tentatively, ready to grasp the nearest rose to her, but stopped abruptly. _

_Naruto. Her mind could only register that he was there._

"…_N-Naruto." Hinata gasped, both surprised and dumbfounded. What on earth was he doing in her dream?_

_He smiled back softly. He stood to her far left, mildly obscured by a yellow rose bush._

"_Calm down, Hinata-chan!" Naruto advanced closer—which made her cheeks burn—until he was right in front of her and leant to whisper in her ear. "This is only a dream!"_

_Hinata wished that it wasn't, but she'd had dreams with Naruto in them before, so it wasn't a massive surprise. It had been quite a while since her last dream with Naruto. She'd been taking the absence of these strange dreams as a good sign that she was moving on, but..._

_Naruto beamed at her._

_He looked exactly the same as the last time Hinata saw him before his death. Not accounting her stolen memories, of course. Handsome, animated, strong. He had been strolling through the village and Hinata had caught his eye on her way out of the Hyuuga Compound that day, and he had invited her over to have ramen with him._

Hinata suddenly didn't know what to do with her hands and_ timidly met his deep, knowing, azure eyes._

_Naruto's grin widened. "So… how are things with you, Hinata-chan? Having any trouble with that bastard Neji?" He teased._

_As precarious as Hinata and Neji's relationship was, it was not as heinous as it had been before Naruto fought Neji in the Chunin exams three years previously. And with everything that had happened recently, Neji would no longer be on her case. For now, that is._

"… _E-Everything's fine, Naruto-kun!" Hinata replied quickly. "… H-How are you?" _

_She couldn't believe she'd just asked that question but what else was there to say? Anyway, it was just a nonsensical dream, she'd be waking up any moment…_

"… _Well, that's a secret!" Naruto exclaimed, in that childish tone of voice she had grown used to missing. He quickly slung his arm around her and grinned. Hinata felt herself blushing harder and for some reason, his arm around her shoulder felt oddly tangible, as if she could feel his warmth radiating through her._

"_Hinata-chan… I have a favour to ask of you." Naruto finally announced, his usually lively voice, oddly serious._

_Hinata nodded at once. "… Anything, Naruto-kun."_

_He gave her shoulder a soft nudge. But his words were far from soft._

"There is really only one way to end this battle, Hinata. You must choose between Revenge or Resurrection."

* * *

><p>When Hinata woke up, she simply wasn't in her bedroom anymore.<p>

It was like someone had teleported her into a warehouse.

The wooden surface against her hips was cold and worn. The freezing ground her bare toes skimmed over bit into her skin.

She stood up from the creaky chair and assessed her surroundings. One moment she was having a slightly disturbing dream featuring Naruto, the next she was awake in an abandoned warehouse.

"Who's there?" She demanded hoarsely.

She heard slow, measured footsteps coming in her direction.

Hinata activated Byakugan.

It wasn't that it was dark, just the light—whether artificial or natural—slipped into the room at disorientating angles.

"You're awake." Came a familiar voice. The person sounded male and had large chakra reserves. Hinata narrowed her eyes at their figure standing a few polite metres away, trying to discern what they wanted.

She could've asked one million questions, like: Why have you taken me here? Where is "here"? What do you want from me? Are you here to take away my Byakugan? What's your umbrage against Konoha? How did you smuggle me from my clan compound? Do you want information? Who are you?

But instead, Hinata summed it all up in one harsh word:

"What?"

The man seemed to catch her drift.

"Don't you realise who I am?"

Frustrated, Hinata shook her head "no".

"Should I care?" She asked, in spite of herself.

It was then that she finally realised that, yes, she had been kidnapped, but no, she was certainly not being held prisoner. In no way or form was she being bound down at this moment. This person hadn't tried to tie her to the chair with ropes.

If he was a good captor, why was he giving his prisoner the chance to escape?

Did she know him?

"There's no need for that." He continued, gesturing to her eyes. "I am no threat to you. Trust me."

"And neither am I." Came another voice, somewhere off to her rear.

Hinata shuddered. There were two of them here?

"Why should I?" She shot back. Hinata kept her bloodline limit activated.

The sound of the chair behind her creaking snapped Hinata's attention to the person in the shadows that had gotten up behind her. He approached slowly and when he was only one metre or so away, stopped.

Eyes as wide as moons, Hinata stared back at him. Shock, was evident on her face.

Kakashi Hatake.

And she turned to the other person, their face guilty, round and blotchy—

Jiraiya. The Legendary Sanin.

Hinata's head swam. Why? Why? Why have they taken me here?

"Oops, I think we came on too strong, Kakashi. Let's start over, Hinata." He said. His voice was serious and steady. "We have taken you to this secluded location so that we can relay some very important news to you. What you decide to do with it is your own decision but we only ask that you tell no one."

Hinata looked straight back at the massive Sanin with bleak eyes. She had no idea what he was talking about. Of course she wouldn't.

But she nodded.

"Okay. Good. Now then. Let us begin from the start. Please, sit down." Jiraiya urged gently.

Hinata complied without protest. She felt she needed something physical to support her.

"There is someone terrible and powerful that we must destroy. He is our enemy by all means."

Hinata waited in patient silence, wondering why this information was relevant for her to hear.

"I am sure that you are aware I performed some classified experiments on Naruto prior to his death. It was necessary. Aside from trying to refine and enhance his abilities…. We wanted to go deeper and see if there was a way he may be resurrected—in the case he should need to in his upcoming battle."

Hinata clenched her fist. "You intended to use Naruto as a weapon to fight this baddie?"

"Naruto accepted what he had to do." Kakashi broke in for Jiraiya. "Naruto wanted nothing more than for there to be a peaceful world for his friends to live in, even if it meant letting himself be experimented on."

Hinata went silent. Her silence was an angry one though.

"It was necessary." Jiraiya repeated again. "However, everything went wrong the moment I stole some of Orochimaru's research for immortality and rebirth."

Jiraiya's warm eyes turned unusually pale in the disorientating light of the warehouse.

"Of course, Orochimaru found out and he wasn't too happy about it. He is quite territorial over his research possessions. I was able to implement some of his rebirth procedures into Naruto's body before he came after us. He would not let us get away with this. He didn't want us having the knowledge of his rebirth rituals, let alone testing them out on Naruto."

Hinata still said nothing. She couldn't fathom how Naruto must have felt, hiding all these burdening secrets away from his friends, his supposed family.

Jiraiya exhaled.

"Naruto escaped into the Death Forest but Orochimaru followed him there. We were not sure where Naruto had taken off to and couldn't reach him in time to offer our assistance. For three days Orochimaru hunted Naruto, and Naruto, weakened from our experiments, was his prey."

Jiraiya continued. "Naruto used sealing barriers we had taught him, to stay protected during his last moments. But in his weakened state, he was unable to keep them up."

Hinata sat glued to her seat. The silence seemed to consume her, inside out. That was what had gone on. That was the truth.

Supposedly.

When Hinata and her team were on the mission—although they don't remember it—it was because Naruto had already been assumed dead. They were there to collect his body. So Jiraiya's explanation didn't add up. Unless….

Even though she was not facing him, Hinata felt Kakashi's stare boring into her head.

"Naruto wasn't dead when your team got to him because we underestimated him." Kakashi stated.

Puzzled, Hinata turned to Jiraiya for answers. Kakashi's cryptic statement only instilled even more confusion in her.

"We reported Naruto's disappearance and Orochimaru's chase after him to Konoha. We would not hide this information from the Hidden Leaf Village. We assumed Naruto dead because we knew of his weakened state from our experiments and couldn't imagine Orochimaru being merciful. The Hokage accepted that. But we were wrong. We underestimated Naruto's resilience to live."

Even though she was still not facing him, Hinata felt Kakashi's stare deepening the hole he was boring into her.

"You should know that Orochimaru's recent invasion of the Hidden Leaf Village was merely a warning to us. And a further punishment. We should not try it again, stealing his rebirth research material—or else—was his message."

Hinata clenched her fist.

"Yesss. I killed Naruto. It took me three days but I did—"Orochimaru gasped.

Hinata recalled that those were Orochimaru's unconcerned words the day of the invasion of the Hidden Leaf Village. So he did it as retribution? Because Naruto had been experimented on with his rebirth jutsu?

"But you cannot kill Orochimaru."

The statement caught Hinata off guard.

"Why?"

"We need him." Kakashi said steadily. "That's why we brought you here. To let you know that, should you not kill Orochimaru, we can resurrect Naruto."

Not kill Orochimaru, the man whose invasion is responsible for the death of my younger sister?

Hinata felt her shoulders tense. Her pulse quickened immeasurably.

"Why would Orochimaru be connected to resurrecting Naruto?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Before Naruto died, I already implemented some of the factors of rebirth into him. But not all of them. Only an expert would know what to do next—what to do with an already dead patient who has some rebirth factors inside his body. With Orochimaru's advice, we could resurrect Naruto. He is the only one who might know how to. If you kill Orochimaru, that chance is gone."

"And remember, we need Naruto to destroy our enemy." Kakashi reminded cryptically.

"And what if I don't care?" Hinata challenged. "No. What if I don't really believe Naruto can be resurrected?"

Kakashi and Jiraiya were speechless. Completely caught off guard.

Hinata let out a sinister laugh.

"Not kill Orochimaru, the monster who murdered my younger sister? Who killed The Third? And Naruto?"

She let out another shrill chuckle.

"I am not naive. Naruto is dead, you can't resurrect him—"

"Hinata—"

"—he is dead!"

She stood up from the creaky wooden chair, so forcibly it reeled back.

"If my baby sister cannot come back from the dead, why should Naruto be able to?"

Kakashi's frown deepened and Jiraiya glanced at him cautiously.

Translucent eyes flashed. "Kakashi, I told you already I chose vengeance. Not resurrection. And is this what you meant by resurrection?"

Hinata turned away and as she turned her back on them, she closed her eyes. Biting the insides of her mouth and clenching her fists so tightly they bruised, Hinata spoke.

"Don't try to get my hopes up, saying you can resurrect him when you can't. I'm not naive."

Jiraiya had to shout. "If you kill Orochimaru, we can never resurrect Naruto!"

Stubbornly, Hinata proceeded to walk out.

She stopped right at the door, and not turning to face them, said one simple sentence.

"You took my team's memories away."

They both fell silent.

Jiraiya pitched in, "We're sorry. We had to—we couldn't risk your team wanting to seek vengeance on Orochimaru after seeing him kill Naruto—but it proved futile in the end. We got Danzo's help to do it, and you know Danzo—he jumped right at the idea without being given the full reason."

Danzo.

Anger boiled inside her like a violent beast when she stepped outside of the warehouse.

Taking away someone's memories is like stealing candy from a kid, now is it?

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End file.
